Stephen Bamigbele: Tribute to a quintessential journalist

The inevitability of death is such that not even sceptics, who claim nothing is certain, can doubt it.
It was the skeptic, doubting the real nature of things, who said “that honey is sweet I refuse to assert, that it appears sweet I fully grant”.
No one can apply the same logic that death is inevitable I refuse to assert, that it appears certain I fully grant.
Death comes at any time in a person’s life from ante natal stage to old age.
That is why Martin Hedeger said “we are being towards death”.
I met the late Mr.
Stephen Bamigbele in 1983 when I joined the New Nigerian Newspapers in the commercial department.
Since then we had been close till when he died on April 20, 2017.
Born on October 2, 1939 in Ogori-Ogorimangogo Local Government Area of Kogi state, Bamigbele had his primary school education at St.
Peter’s School Ogori, from 1945 – 1952 and part of his postprimary education at Sabongida Grammar School, Ora, Edo state between 1954 – 1956.
He attended the International Institute of Journalism, Berlin (Germany) from 1970 – 1971.
He went to Cardiff (Wales) for newspaper executive course sponsored by the Thompson Foundation.
He also attended industrial relation course at the University of Lagos.
He visited many countries in Asia, Europe and America.
He started his career in journalism with the then Daily Service Newspapers later Daily Express in 1955 as a trainee reporter.
The following year he was posted to Tiv Benue state to cover the Tiv riot.
He shifted to the Nigerian Citizen in Zaria in 1964 and in the following year he transferred his services to the Nigerian Newspapers as the first editorial staff.
Late Bamigbele covered the Nigerian civil war for the New Nigerian.
He was at Nsukka sector in 1967 and then 3rd marine commando sector in Port Harcourt.
It is noteworthy that he was given a letter of commendation by his employer in his classical defense case between the New Nigerian Newspaper and Obeys.
He was very dedicated to duty with unalloyed loyalty to his superiors.
He was transparently honest with unassailable dignity.
He was always miffed by the behaviour of our leaders particularly their primitive and illegal acquisition of our common wealth.
One day he asked me if I was familiar with cassava plantation.
He said “when a pig finds its way to the cassava farm, regardless the size of the farm, the swine settles to eat to its satisfaction and then begin to destroy as if what it consumed was to energise it to devastate the whole cassava farm leaving no stem standing.” In another stance, he said “a Nigeria leader destroys the leader he or she used to climb to the top”.
He retired from the service of the New Nigerian Newspapers, but remained in Kaduna until April 11, 2011, when his residence together with all his belongings were set ablaze in the religious riot.
He sought abode in Television area till May3, 2013 when he relocated to Lokoja, he struggled with his health and in April 2015, he had a partial stroke.
Prior to his death, he told me about the unusual generosity of some of the former staff of New Nigerian Newspapers.
Hence when his wife informed me of his demise, I immediately contacted our former Managing Director, Malam Muhammed Haruna, and some of his other contemporaries in New Nigerian Newspapers, May God reward them all.
What really is this death? That causes pains and sorrows to the believed in its trail.
The Spanish philosopher Don Miguel Jogo in his work titled: “Tragic sense of life” said life is tragic, not even science in its vast discoveries has unveiled what death is.
It is only philosophy as a science that studies death.
Our erstwhile group News Editor, Mr.
Bamigbele, was philosophical.
He lived a peaceful and examined life.
How I wish the Northern states government resuscitates the New Nigerian Newspapers or impress it upon the Federal Government to do so, as a matter of priority.
Apparently, there was an epidemic that phased out almost all economic ventures in the North, particularly the ones in Kaduna, almost at the same time all the flourishing textiles and other productive ventures went into limbo at a swoop.
How I wish the government can revive all to flourish once again.
This was the last dialectical conversation I had with the late Stephen Bamigbele before his call to the great beyond.
He has paid his dues to humanity.
May his soul rest in perfect peace and may God console his widow and the children he left behind.
Adieu, Stephen Bamigbele.
Mr. Peter Enesi, Lokoja, Kogi state